His Games
by TheLostPangirl
Summary: Keep running... Why? Because if you don't, he'll catch you. What will happen if he catches me? He wins.
1. Running Away

The only thing on her mind was one word: run.

 _Keep running..._

 _Why?_

 _Because if you don't, he'll catch you._

 _What will happen if he catches me?_

 _He wins._

Breathing hard, she leapt through the bushes, feeling branches snag at her hair, vines reaching out to latch onto her wrists and slam her into the trunk of a tree. She winced, feeling a dull thud at the back of her skull before snapping back into action, grabbing the penknife she kept on her belt and slashing open the vines.

Free once more, she hurtled through the undergrowth, turning sharply to the left and the right, desperately trying in vain to throw him off the trail. But by the humming in the air, she sensed he was close, too close for her comfort.

 _Whatever you do, don't stop._ Her muscles screamed in protest as she sprinted forward, barely registering where she was even sprinting _to._ All that mattered was getting away from this cursed place before she was trapped here for all eternity. She needed to get away.

 _Don't falter. You know what he'll do to you, once he gets you back. He won't ever forgive you for trying to escape._

 _Why not?_

 _Because no one breaks his rules._

Doubt began to cloud her mind as her heart thumped. Surely he would've won by now? She shouldn't even be still breathing in fact...

 _He's toying with you. You both knew who was going to win the second you decided to leave. This was a suicide mission and you know it._

He was going to grow bored in a minute, like he always did with his games. She kept that thought in her head: her heart was only still beating because he wanted it to. If he wanted her dead, there would be no two ways about it – she would be.

That's when she felt it, a single, warm breath that danced across the back of her neck. Her mind went frantic. _No... not yet... please..._ Fingers that seemed to materialise out of thin air caressed her long brown tresses, only to disappear into the wind. Magic pulsed around her, and she struggled against the force of it as her legs began to tire.

Gasping for air, she fell to her knees, coughing and spluttering as she choked on her own failure. She'd taken her one and only chance.. and blown it. Tears pricked at her eyes but she swallowed them down. No way was she going to give him any more satisfaction.

She averted her eyes to the ground as she heard him land behind her, chuckling under his breath. Oh how she wanted to strangle that horrible son of a bitch until the life was drained out of him. The ridiculousness of that idea made her cringe.

"Well that was a fun little chase." She tensed up as she felt the warmth of his body heat on her back. _Too close. Not close enough._ When she said nothing, he pretended to sound hurt. She could practically hear the mocking pout in his voice, "Oh, don't go and give me the silent treatment. It's not my fault you decided to suddenly up and run in the middle of camp."

"You didn't have to come after me." she whispered, " _That_ was your fault – not letting me go. I want to live my life, while it's still fresh and not stuck in time. I want to experience new things, learn about the world, explore it. I want to live."

He scoffed, "Why would you want to do all that when I can give you all of eternity on this island?" Her heart jumped in her chest as she felt his hand trace an idle pattern on her arm, sending sparks along her skin while the other half of her shuddered in revulsion. This boy made her crazy, questioning her own beliefs and views of the world with a snap of his finger. He was powerful, strong and evil.

 _A murderous demon in the shape of a boy._

Taking a deep breath, she shrugged him off, "I don't _want_ eternity. I don't _want_ anything you can give me, okay?" Her voice shook with pent-up emotion. "This- this place is a living hell, and the sooner I can leave, the better." She waited in agony for his reply, knowing she'd stepped over the line.

 _Breaking his rules are for the unwise._

In the blink of an eye, she was flung against a tree and pinned there by a force far greater than she was. A strong hand wrapped around her throat and squeezed, making her see stars and blurring her vision. She could barely make him out in front of her. His lips pressed to her ear, warm and velvety, "Then you're going to be waiting a long time, because you're not going _anywhere."_ He hissed, and unable to help it, she whimpered.

"Please..." she gasped, scrabbling at the hand around her throat pathetically, "I- I can't-" He relented, easing his grip. Her gaze found his and she was unable to look away. Deep, forest-green eyes glinted at her maliciously, pink lips stretched into a smirk, his sandy-brown hair teased by the wind.

 _She should've known that villains come with pretty faces._

He cocked his head to the side, clicking his tongue, "I love how you're all strong and confident one minute and then hanging your head the next. Everyone's felt fear, don't be ashamed of it."

"I'm not afraid of you." she spat but he only grinned.

"Oh, is that so?" He leaned in close so his nose almost brushed hers. She tried to shy away from him but her head met the back of the tree. Her eyes widened when he produced a dagger, shining a bright silver in the light. He tossed it around like it was nothing but a feather, drawing it delicately under her chin. She held her breath as he watched her closely. "Show me some fear, lass. The look of pure terror in your eyes is just so satisfying."

The sharp edge dug slightly into her collarbone and she winced, feeling her blood run down her skin. His hand stroked her neck, nails digging in, "Want a break?"

She clenched her jaw, unwilling to give into him, "Skin me alive, for all I care." He raised his eyebrows, before surprisingly pulling away from her.

"You're lucky I don't want to get my hands dirty today. Perhaps another time." The dagger in his hand turned into a stone that he threw carelessly over his shoulder. His hand retreated from her neck and she sucked in a breath. "But you're coming with me, whether you like it or not."

She rolled her eyes, before slumping ahead in the direction of the camp. He wasn't far behind, about two or three paces. They'd just gotten to the glen when he grabbed her wrist, spinning her around to face him, "What?"

His bright green stare sent shivers up her spine, "Just to make things clear: you're _not_ going to try and escape again because I'm not letting you out of my sight. Got it?"

She pulled away from him defiantly, "Got it." And then, she started walking again, all the while pitying what her own fate had become.

A prisoner to the one and only king of Neverland, a slave to a demon.

And that demon's name happened to be Peter Pan.

* * *

So, did you like it?

I'm thinking this story will have different time periods - one being the present and the other being the girl's past and how she ended up in Neverland in the first place.

R and R!


	2. Once Upon A Time

" _Come on, Lily! This one's really good, I promise!" She rolled her eyes at her room mate's earnest face._

" _That's what you said about the last one – which was Snow White and the Seven bloody dwarves. That damn book of yours has got you obsessed, Jill." Jill frowned, hugging the damn book in question._

" _These aren't normal fairytales though!" She protested, while Lily sighed, already planning her escape route from this sleepover. She'd been hoping that her crazy friend wouldn't bring out the leather bound nightmare, but then hope was a hopeless thing. Ironic, really. "They... they just feel special." She finished lamely, her cheeks flaring pink._

 _Lily raised her eyebrows, "They "feel special"? Am I the only one hearing what's actually coming out of her mouth?"_

 _Sophie sighed loudly, flicking her blonde fringe out of her green eyes, "Well, some of us like to believe in something more, Lily. Something better." She turned to her other friend incredulously._

" _You can't be serious, Soph. Fairytales, remember? Stuff we were told to get us to shut up and go to sleep when we really little!" When the blonde girl didn't respond, Lily relented, laying down on the bed. "Fine, Jill. One story, but that's it."_

 _Jill let out a little excited squeal, and Lily heard her open the book carefully, flipping through the pages, "No... No- wait here it is! Ok, 'once upon a time..'"_

 _Lily groaned, "Do all of them have to start with 'once upon a time'?" Sophie shushed her._

" _That's the name of the actual book, so yeah. Now shut up so I can listen." Great, now she had to suffer through this torture. To the average kid, fairytales were magical, but to Lily she'd always hated them. Well, not always._

 _Her mum had read them to her every night before bed, her voice acting out all the characters to make Lily laugh. She'd been a fantastic storyteller, giving each tale a life all its own, awakening them into something so much more than words on a page. She made them real. Then, when she'd died of cancer when Lily was only 6, the stories reverted back to what they'd always been: a figment of her imagination._

 _After that, she'd been stuck with a new label: orphan. Her dad had left her family when she'd been born, and now with her mum gone forever, she was truly alone. The foster homes she'd been in over the years had tried to make her feel happy, loved, but it only enlarged the hole steadily growing in her heart._

 _By some miracle, she'd managed to make some friends, but even Sophie and Jill didn't know her whole story. It was a burden that she was cursed to bear alone. Lily blinked, pulled back to the present as Jill's voice petered into her head, "'... a place where all your dreams come true-'"_

" _Wait, what part are we on?" Lily interrupted, confused. Sophie scoffed._

" _The beginning, where it's talking about Neverland." Neverland... Lily searched her brain for the fairytale Jill must've been reading. The one about the girl that fell down the rabbit hole maybe...? No, that was Alice in Wonderland, not Neverland!_

 _Jill cleared her throat, "Back to the story: 'Neverland was a place where all your dreams came true and you never grew up. But there was a catch," she paused dramatically, earning a snort from Sophie and an eye-roll from Lily, "you could never leave Neverland, even if you wanted to because once your feet touched that island's soil, you belonged to it. And to him.'"_

 _Sophie leaned forward, captivated, "Damn, I love this story." Lily tried to tune the nonsense out once more, but couldn't block out Jill's words effectively enough._

" _'He was a demon in the shape of a boy, playing around with words and hearts like sticks and stones. Everyone else's lives around him were nothing more than games. And no one played games quite like Peter Pan.'" Ah, this one. "'He travelled between realms, searching for young boys and girls whose lonely hearts called out to him, playing a tune on his special pan-flute that only unloved children could hear... and sent his Shadow to steal them away in their sleep to Neverland, where they would belong to him forever.'"_

 _Lily shuddered. She'd never liked that story, even as a small child. The idea of a black thing sent to snatch her up to a place where she would be an eternal prisoner had never appealed to her, and it definitely didn't now._

 _Sophie whistled, "Peter Pan – one of my favourites and always will be." Jill laughed, closing her storybook._

" _Ok, I'm going to sleep now. You guys?"_

" _Yeah, I will too." Lily just nodded. Jill whispered 'goodnight' before turning off the light, and they were enveloped in soft darkness. She remained motionless as her friends began to snore._

 _She tossed and turned, struggling to get to sleep, kicking off her duvet, putting it back on again as the hours wore on..._

 _All the while unable to get the haunting melody of a pan-flute out of her head._

…

The Lost Boys smirked at her as she stalked back into camp, Pan not far behind her. Humiliation and anger bore down on Lily's shoulders as she scowled ahead, ripping off her hood and abandoning it by the camp-fire. A few of them whistled annoyingly at her temper and she heard Peter chuckle, "Didn't get that far, actually. Barely made it to the lake-" Her loud stomps drowned out the boys' mocking laughter.

 _Why didn't I just stay put?_ She scolded herself, rolling up her dark green sleeves as she knelt before the river, splashing her face with water. _It's not like I could actually leave anyway._ Even if there was a way to break Neverland's binding spell on her, Pan would always be there to drag her right back. Just like the little devil he was.

"That was stupid, you know." said a voice behind her, thankfully not Peter's. She didn't think she had the strength to resist punching that imp's face.

"I know." She snapped, raking a hand through her hair in frustration, "I just – I don't know, heat of the moment I thought I should at least try. Keeping hope alive and all that." Lily turned around to face Felix, who was leaning against a tree casually.

He snorted, "You must've known it wouldn't have worked."

"Yeah, well someone's got to push the boundaries a bit around here, right? Otherwise, it gets boring." The scarred boy chuckled at her.

"You'd think you would've learned. You've been here what – quite a few years now? And yet, it's like you haven't changed at all from that scared little girl who refused to believe in stories and didn't know when to keep her mouth shut." Lily glared at him, daring him to continue.

"It's better then sitting here, watching your life go by. At least I've done _something –_ can you say the same?" she retorted, watching as Felix's blue eyes narrowed, his club held firmly in his hand. Lily glared right back; the years of being in the Lost Boys' presence had hardened her, making her even more stubborn.

"Whatever. One day you'll go too far and you'll be wishing you'd goddamned listened to me in the first place!" She seethed, her long brown hair whipping around her head as she turned her back on Felix sharply, heading to the treehouse.

The ladder created grooves in her callused palms as she climbed it, landing on the wood floor with a soft thump. Her and the Lost Boys' hammocks hung from the ceiling and Lily clambered into hers, scrunching herself up into a small ball to block out the rest of the world. Of course, it wasn't going to be that easy.

"Going to bed so soon?" She groaned, trying to scrunch up even smaller.

"Piss off, Pan." She mumbled, feeling the hammock creak under his weight. "I'm tired and I can't be arsed for you and your childish games right now."

He acted as if she hadn't spoken, "Failure hurts, doesn't it Water Lily?" The nickname made her jaw clench and she curled her fist against her stomach, refusing to let him provoke her, to distract her with painful memories of her past, of what she'd done.

"It won't be a failure for long," Lily whispered, "I intend to escape this wretched place one way or another." Peter laughed.

"When will you get it into your head?" She gasped as he appeared above her, straddling her as he pinned her wrists above her head. "After decades of trying, when will you just _give up?"_ He buried his face in her neck, inhaling deeply as she squirmed, gulping for fear of what he might do – you never knew with Peter Pan.

"I don't 'give up'." She declared defiantly, trying to inch from him but Pan held firm, "Now, stop touching me before I really-"

"You'll do what?" He lifted his head to fix her with his penetrating gaze that froze her, "Don't test me, love. You should know better." The threat lacing his dark tone pulled her back to a time when she'd been reckless and stupid, not knowing the cost of magic or loss. Neverland had taught her that.

"What: that Peter Pan never fails?" Lily tried to shove him off and to her surprise, it worked. She sat up straighter, regarding the beautiful demon whose bright green eyes stared right back. "We'll see about that."

"So we shall." And with that, Pan disappeared, leaving Lily alone in the treehouse, with the ghosts of her past and the spirits of the future - wondering how the hell she was going to beat Pan at his own game.

* * *

 **So a few shout outs: Thanks to scorpiongirl92 and Amy elizabelf for following this story; it means so much! Also, thank you to** **HOAfan8509 for reviewing and giving this story a chance :)**

 **~ TheLostPangirl** (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧


	3. Taken

_The kidnappings started around a week after Jill read Sophie and Lily the story of Peter Pan. The first disappearance was a young girl around about Lily's age, called Isabelle. Rumours spread that the child had simply run away and that she would probably return after a few days. She was never seen again._

 _The people of Lily's small town began to panic as a certain pattern set in: every week or so, one little girl would be stolen. They didn't know by who, or by what, and hired the men to stand guard with the girls each night, to ensure they wouldn't be taken. However, the kidnapper always got their hands on them, with the guard knocked out cold at his station._

 _Lily and the rest of the girls lived in fear of the fact that they might be the next to disappear by this mysterious monster, shaking with terror every night before they went to bed, wondering if they'd still wake up in their bedrooms in the morning._

 _After about a month, Jill brought up her crazy theory to her two best friends, "It's the only possible solution!"_

 _Lily rolled her eyes, "Jill, this isn't the time to start whining on about your pathetic stories! This is a_ real _problem and a_ real _person is out to get us!"_

 _Sophie bit her lip, "It does sound a bit far-fetched, but what if it's true? I mean, can you think of anything else?" Jill nodded vigorously._

 _Lily stopped and stared at the two, "You can't be serious... you actually think this predator is Peter Pan?!"_

 _Jill flushed red but stood her ground stubbornly, "Look at all the facts: stealing children away in the night, and no one ever sees him – as if he's just a shadow. Sound familiar?"_

" _Yeah but-"_

" _And the strange dust that's found near every guard that's passed out. I've seen some myself, and it sure looks like how the pixie dust was described in the book." Sophie added, her green eyes bright._

" _That doesn't mean-"_

"And _the fact that there's no signs of a struggle, like the children literally got up and left themselves when we all know they wouldn't. For example, put in a trance by a pan-flute and-"_

 _Lily chucked humourlessly and the two girls faltered off, "Whatever. You guys seem to be so caught up in all this fairytale nonsense that nothing I say will show you sense. Go ahead, start hunting for a little boy dressed in green that prances around, playing his little stupid flute to steal away stupid little children. I'm done." And with that, she stalked off, leaving her only friends staring after her in regret._

 _The thing was, she_ did _find herself believing what they were saying, and that's what scared her. Lily hadn't been able to shrug off the feeling that something was off about the kidnappings, something not quite normal. All the little clues her friends had pointed out were the same ones she'd noticed and pondered over until she began noticing giant clues of her own._

 _Every girl that had been taken had been an orphan like her, as well as the same age more or less. They'd all had long brown hair like her too. It sent a shiver down her spine, a revelation that she couldn't get rid of – someone or something was looking for her. And it would only be a matter of time before they got her._

 _Fighting back fearful tears, she ran to the library, looking to find a book to help distract her from all this confusion. Grabbing a random one off the shelf – after checking that it wasn't a fairy tale – she sank into a beanbag chair and tried to read._

" _Um, hey. Lily is it?" Lily looked up, startled, to see a girl with brown hair and hazel eyes smiling shyly at her. "Sorry for making you jump."_

" _Er – hello. And you are?" The girl's smile widened, showing a cute set of dimples._

" _Becky. I was just wondering... well, Jill's been telling everyone that the kidnapper is Peter Pan and-"_

" _Sorry, I don't know anything about that." Lily said abruptly, hoping Becky would take the hint and drop the subject._

" _Well, I just saw you with her now, and you don't seem to think it's him. I just wanted to know who you think it is." Lily sighed, closing her book._

" _I don't know, okay? But a character from a book is my last choice. It's impossible." Becky went quiet and satisfied that she'd been able to shut her up, Lily went back to the book._

" _But why?" Dang it._

" _Because it is." She was struggling to keep calm, her teeth gritting as she remembered a time when she too had believed in fairytales, in everything being possible. Until she'd been given a hard smack by reality._

 _Becky argued, "You're just scared like everyone else here – scared you're going to be taken." Lily hated how this little girl could see right through her, as if she were transparent. "Everyone's going on about how someone's going to be taken tonight and-"_

" _Look, Becca or whatever your name is, I don't care. Just leave me alone." Her voice broke at the last bit and she forced herself to keep her composure. It was probably in tatters now anyway. Expecting a comeback, Lily looked up but found that Becky was gone, having walked out of the library altogether._

 _Swallowing back the guilt, Lily opened her book, trying to get back into the storyline but failing miserably._

 _-0-0-0-0-_

 _That night, Becky Ferguson bit her lip, tightening the bolts on her window for extra measure. Outside, the moon hung in the air like a precious charm, glowing serenely in the ink-black sky and silver stars. So peaceful and calm... yet everyone in the small village held their breath in fear._

 _Becky sucked in a breath as grey clouds circled the skies, covering up the only source of moonlight she could see, plummeting the village into darkness. Shivering, she closed the curtains and crawled into bed, pulling the covers right up to her chin. Around her, she could hear the mumbling snores of her foster siblings through the thin walls, but they failed to lull her. She was too worked up to close her eyes._

 _That's when she heard it: quiet at first, but growing louder and louder with each passing moment. The sound of a flute, melodic and sweet yet haunting at the same time. Becky's mind flashed back to Jill, enthusiastically declaring how she thought the kidnapper was Peter Pan -_ "And the fact that there's no signs of a struggle, like the children literally got up and left themselves when we all know they wouldn't. For example, put in a trance by a pan-flute.."

 _Becky shuddered, one thought going through her head: he's here. He's here. He's here. Then, her thoughts began to change: he's here... he's not going to hurt me. He's my friend, my family._

Undo the window. _She obeyed, getting up from her bed and loosening the bolts, pushing open the window like the voice instructed. The slightest feeling of hesitation crept in when she saw what was waiting for her on the other side: a dark shadow seemingly attached to no body, its glowing eyes fixed on her. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted the guard stationed outside the foster home's door: knocked out cold._

Believe. _Becky turned back to the shadow, and took its hand. As soon as she did,it pulled her into the air and away into the night. Blinking, realisation set in as she saw her village far below her, spread out like a map._

" _Wait, no! Let go of me!" She shrieked, thrashing around in its grasp, but it's cold, firm grip on her never wavered. "Please, let me go!" Tears of desperation ran down her cheeks as she fought, wondering why the hell she'd opened her window._

I was under a trance, _Becky realised with a start,_ just like Jill said. _So that meant... the kidnapper was Peter Pan after all. She remembered talking with Lily that afternoon, the girl who acted too stubborn to believe. If only she could tell her what she now knew._

 _But it was too late. None of the girls that got kidnapped any ever made it back. Becky doubted she would be any different. Suddenly, a wave of exhaustion overcame her, and unable to fight against it, she closed her eyes and fell asleep, the Shadow flying young Becky over the ocean as she did._

 _Slowly, Becky opened her eyes and found herself to be on ground, not being dragged by the Shadow. She went to get up but realised with a jolt that her hands were tied behind her back with thick rope. What...?_

" _Pan, the girl's awake!" A voice suddenly shouted and Becky stared as a group of boys clad in green and brown that blended in with the forest around her came into the clearing. Wait, a forest? Was this where the Shadow had taken her?_ Neverland, _Becky remembered,_ just like in the story.

 _Then, a boy broke away from the crowd and advanced towards her. He looked to be about seventeen, but there was a cruel harshness in his features that sent a shiver down Becky's spine. His green eyes were fixed on her as he walked in a confident stride, his lips twisted into a sickening smirk. He looked about as innocent as a axe-wielding maniac._

 _Becky froze as he knelt before her, his cool fingers curling around her chin. His lips pursed thoughtfully. "Well Pan?" A boy with a scar running down his face said rather impatiently, "Is she The One?"_

 _Becky watched the boy – Pan – in amazement, awestruck that this was the real Peter Pan in front of her. Pan turned her head to the side, his eyes narrowing._

" _Um..." Becky piped up, "I'm sorry but can someone tell me what's-" she gasped as Pan buried his face in her brown hair, sniffing at it. He growled, pulling away in disgust seconds later._

" _Another dud. No scent of magic on her at all!" He snarled, letting go off her chin, "How many more brown haired orphans can there be in that goddamned village?!"_

 _Scarface spoke up, "Pan, maybe we should wait and see what-"_

" _No Felix!" He spat, "I'm done waiting. I've been doing it for centuries, and pretty soon I won't have any time left to spare!" Suddenly, he grabbed Becky by the throat, his piercing gaze targeted on her as she choked for air, "You must know_ something. _" he hissed, "An orphan girl, with brown hair?"_

 _Becky rasped, "Um.. I don't know..." She saw the rage flare in his eyes and for a brief moment thought that the stories had got him so wrong. He was nothing like she'd imagined. "Wait. There's a girl that hasn't been taken yet. Her name's Lily, and she doesn't believe in stories like the rest of us. She refuses to believe the kidnapper is you.." She rambled on, oblivious to the spark of excitement growing in Pan's eyes._

" _Is that so?" He mused, a sinister smile teasing at his lips, "She sounds... perfect." Turning to Felix, Pan ordered, "Arrange for the Shadow to take another tomorrow night – a Lily." The boy nodded before running off. Regret wormed into Becky's gut, squirming at the knowledge that she'd just sold out Lily._

 _Pan faced her once more, his fingers letting go off her throat and trailing down her chest, "Thank you for that little bit of help. I appreciate it." His hand paused just above her rapidly beating heart, "Which is why I'll give you an honourable death, unlike the other useless wenches that have come through here."_

" _... and what's that?" Becky asked, her voice dry and weak with terror._

" _A death by Peter Pan's own hand." He grinned wickedly at her shocked expression before his hand delved into her chest and ripped out her heart in one awful bound. She stared at the red, pulsing organ in his hand, her_ heart, _and it chilled her to the bone. Pan chuckled, "Oh, don't be frightened. Be flattered."_

 _And then he crushed it in front of her very eyes, diminishing it to dust that seeped into the dirt. The last thing Becky saw was the amusement in his green eyes before the life left her body and she slumped to the ground, dead._

…

Pan smirked to himself as he left Lily in the treehouse, her words echoing in his head – _What: that Peter Pan never fails?_ It was one of the reasons that he liked her, he found; her defiant behaviour and fiery attitude kept things interesting even in the most dire of situations.

Even he had to admit, he hadn't expected her to suddenly jump up from the campfire and run like her life depended on it. It had been reckless but also brave. _That's my Lily._

A deep satisfaction overwhelmed him as he flew over the treetops of Neverland, knowing he had everything under control for when the time came. Everyone in this little game were exactly where he wanted them to be, like stars aligning in the sky. The Heart of the Truest Believer would soon be in his grasp, but now that he had Lily, he didn't need to wait for power.

Her magic would sustain him until the main meal came along; he just had to get her to believe in fairytales again, in him. It was a challenge, one he'd accepted when she first came to Neverland.

And he was determined to win it.

* * *

 **Shout outs to: Faiytail, wargrounds, Talk With Your Hands, LucieSatine, terrencelovesyou and 11. AmeliaPond.16 for favouriting and/or following this story! Thank you so much! Also, thank you to Awesomehello, Talk With Your Hands and The girl who cried I'm Batman for your wonderful reviews – I really appreciated them!**

 **~ TheLostPangirl** (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧


	4. Writing New Rules

_The sighting was all anyone would talk about and quite frankly, it made Lily sick. The kidnapper had finally been spotted and now everyone could hold a face to the person that was responsible for all the pain and despair they'd inflicted. The only problem was that it wasn't a face._

 _More of a shadow._

 _One of the guards that had been on his shift the other night had ran through the town square at three in the morning, screaming at the top of his lungs that he'd seen it - "Come quick! I've seen the poor girl being dragged away… by a shadow!" When everyone had gathered around him, rubbing their bloodshot eyes wearily but listening to his every word, he described how it wasn't a person at all, but a transparent being that sifted through the air like a demon of shadows, its glowing eyes like pinpricks of fire in the night._

 _And all the while, Lily had felt Sophie and Jill's eyes on her, daring her to turn to them and challenge them now. There was no denying it - this kidnapper wasn't normal and definitely not human. The illustration of Peter Pan from Jill's book leered into her mind, his cheeky grin and wild brown hair peeking from under a green cap and red feather. A completely innocent looking boy - could he really be behind all this?_

 _And if he was real, did that mean the others were too?_

 _She swallowed, abandoning her train of thought; it would only hurt her head to get lost in ideas like that. Impossible ideas that were starting to seem painfully true. Blinking, Lily looked around the crowded room she was in, her head pounding at the cacophony of voices. Everyone in her village had met up in the town committee centre, and a huge debate had set in, people yelling at each other about what had to be done._

" _Set up traps, so we can capture the blasted thing!"_

" _Did you forget it's made of air? Don't be ridiculous, we need something better than that!"_

" _Shut up, both of you! Let's all grow up and think properly-"_

" _If you can't think of anything better, than get out!"_

 _Lily jumped as she felt a hand brush her shoulder. She turned in surprise to see Sophie, a frown on her face, "Oh, Soph. Crazy, isn't it?" She gestured to the squabbling adults. Her friend's frown deepened._

" _Worrying more like. No one has idea what to do." Sophie bit her lip and Lily saw the fear in her green eyes, "I can't help thinking that this will never end: this constant battle of trying not to be afraid, scared when I close my eyes before going to sleep. I don't feel safe anymore." Her voice was shaking, and Lily put an arm around Sophie._

" _Sh…" she whispered gently, "Don't stress out, Soph. Everything will be okay, the village will work together and get this thing." Sophie nodded but both of them didn't believe it, not really._

 _Then Jill came bounding over, her curly ginger hair bouncing eagerly on her shoulders, "Hey guys! Jeez, it's like a war zone in here!" When neither girl answered, Jill swallowed, her light tone gone. "Um.. well people are saying that everyone should stay on watch so they can catch the - er - culprit."_

 _Lily sighed, "Everything was so normal a month ago and now…" She looked back at the people, driven by fear and intimidation, slowly turning on each other. It was moments like this when she felt most alone, more lost than ever. The tune of a pan-flute floated into her head and refused to go away._

 _She left the meeting early, retreating to her small box-room in the foster home. Lily sat motionless by her window as the hours wore on, watching as the sun slowly sank and night painted the sky a deep navy blue. Her foster mother, Margaret, looked in on her to check she was okay._

" _Lily, you alright hon?"_

 _She mumbled a quiet 'mhm'. The bed creaked behind her as Margaret sat down on it, "It's nothing to worry about, sweet pea. They'll trap this thing before it can take anyone else." She bit her lip, glad the woman couldn't see the tears barely being held back in her eyes._

" _Yeah, I know. I'm fine, Margaret, just a bit tired." She heard her foster mother sigh._

" _Okay then. Night, Lily."_

" _Night." Lily bit her lip as the door closed behind Margaret before releasing a weak sob. She felt so fragile, like a deer in the middle of hunting season, just waiting until it was too late. It was like she couldn't stop anything from happening._

" _Thank God. I thought that old bag would never leave." She froze as a low chuckle came from behind her. All the breath left her body and she felt like she was choking, dying in silence. Another chuckle, this one closer._

" _Well, you're quiet. I was hoping for a bit of… well, fire." Lily sucked in a breath as a goosebumps broke out across her skin. The voice was taunting, and she felt the presence of something behind her. Something that didn't feel right._

" _You - you were looking for me all this time, weren't you? Trying to find me." She managed to say, swallowing nervously. Lily nearly jumped out of her skin as she felt something breathe in her ear, soft as a feather._

" _Clever little thing. But let's not get carried away just yet; I want to make sure." A nose that strangely felt human skimmed along her neck, and Lily tensed as a warm pair of lips pressed firmly against her raging pulse. "Ah - now_ that's _magic."_

" _M-magic?" Her mind felt like it was shattering into a million pieces, driving her closer and closer to insanity. "But it doesn't-"_

" _Exist?" The voice mocked, and the lips pulled away from her. "Well, I'm here and you're not questioning it. I was told you were a stubborn non-believer and yet you're not even surprised that someone that shouldn't exist in your eyes is behind you right now."_

" _So you're Peter Pan." It wasn't a question._

" _That I am. Glad my reputation precedes me." With a deep breath, Lily turned around, mentally preparing herself for what she was about to see. Gasping, she stumbled back, grabbing hold of the bedpost to keep herself steady. Peter Pan laughed maliciously, his hand reaching out to latch around her elbow._

 _He was here, actually here, in the flesh. She studied him with fascination and horror. He wasn't exactly a carbon copy from Jill's book - no cap and feather on his head; no glowing Tinkerbell hovering around his shoulder. His grin wasn't cheeky; it was deadly. The fairytale character had brown hair with a slight curl to it, and menacing green eyes that seemed to pierce into her soul. He wore a brown and green tunic, and leather brown cuffs around his wrists._

 _Pan smirked at her shocked expression, "Like what you see?"_

 _Her eyes narrowed - he was an asshole, that much was clear, "I don't remember Peter Pan stealing his own victims, usually got his minions to do it for him." He scoffed at the word 'minions'._

" _You're special. I figured I'd sort out the delivery myself."_

 _Special? "How so?"_

" _Well, that's another story. When we get you home, I'll tell you." Lily backed away slowly, betraying the slightest shiver as Pan chuckled. "Don't even think of running. Because if you do, I'll gut this whole village like a load of fish and leave their bodies to the crocodiles." He said it with such a certainty and carelessness that Lily didn't doubt him for a second._

" _You're a monster." she hissed, "And in some stories, you're actually written as the hero." Pan grinned._

" _Well, the victors get to tell the tale, don't they, love?" Her heart was pounding with her terror, but Lily refused to cower in front of this tyrant. His hand gripped onto her arm, firmer. "Now, will we be going, or do I have to get my hands all bloody?"_

 _She shook her head, letting him take her to the window. He waved his hand and all the locks sprung open with a nimble click. Pan turned to her, his lips stretching into a cocky smile. Lily rolled her eyes to which he laughed. "Takes a lot to impress you then?"_

" _I don't usually go for the crazy-murderous-straight-out-of-a-fairytale kind." And with that, Pan whisked her away, leaving her to whisper one last goodbye to the place she found she was sad to leave behind._

…

Lily sat near the calm lagoon, running her fingers through her wet curtain of hair. The waters of Neverland cleansed it, the scent of wild flowers seeping into her skin. Times like this in this cursed land made her feel peaceful, even safe. But deep down, she knew there were always eyes on her, that was she never truly alone. Lily remembered when that's what she'd desired once - to have people watching out for her, to find comfort and never be alone. Now, that was all she wanted.

Sighing, she wrung it through her hands, watching as rivulets of water sprung free before splashing into the stream below. A song came to her and she sang it halfheartedly, "I don't believe in fairytales... I don't believe in fairytales... I don't believe in fairytales... but I believe in you and me..."

"Water Lily." A voice broke her out of her reverie and she looked up to see a mermaid watching her intently. "Word has spread through Neverland that you tried to escape again. That was foolish of you."

Lily shrugged, "I know and let me guess: 'After decades of being on this island, you'd think I would've learned by now-'"

"So why haven't you?" She locked her gaze with the mermaids pearly one.

"Because I might not believe in this place, but I do believe in my rightful home and my friends and everything I care about. As long as I have that, there's always a way." The mermaid raised a doubtful eyebrow.

"You're definitely strong. Perhaps that it was why Pan has been holding out for so long." There it was again, that reminder that everyone knew what Pan had in store for her, and she didn't. After years of trying to find out, she realised there was no point - everyone remained silent. Then there was the phase where she'd tried to kill herself but every attempt had failed. One in particular made her want to be sick, a permanent reminder that her life was something she wanted to keep if she knew what was good for her. _Think of drowning again love, and you won't like what comes next. But I can guarantee you, I will._

Then there was the question: if her purpose for being here was so important, why had Pan waited all these years? _He's choosing the right moment. Don't ever let your guard down, because he could decide to get started at any time._ She couldn't become lazy - never falter or let herself feel secure because that would be where Pan would see his chance and swoop in.

"Well, it's Pan, isn't it? No one knows all the rules in his games except him." The mermaid regarded her with interest, its long blue hair hanging down its back.

"Maybe you could be the one that makes rules of her own." And with that, it disappeared back into the water with a splash, the last glimpse Lily saw of it being its glimmering fish tail's scales shining in the light. Lily watched the mermaid swim away from under the surface, its shimmering body becoming a speck of light as the distance it took grew. It might've been a beautiful being, but they could be vicious when they wanted to be. Something else she'd learned.

 _"Water Lily."_ Damn, that nickname brought back memories and they weren't pleasant ones.

Satisfied her hair was dry, Lily got up from the lagoon's edge and ventured into the forest, grabbing her knife that was strapped to her belt. With it, she slashed open vines that were dangling in her way, searching for a particular spot. She recognized the smell when it hit her: a sharp, spicy scent that filled her lungs and intoxicated her nostrils. Ahead of her were a patch of golden flowers, fine green spots adorning their petals. Kneeling down, she gathered a few before putting them in her satchel. Then, she made her way back to the camp.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"Lily!" Mike yelled at her as she walked into the clearing. The campfire was blazing with life, and all the Lost Boys were dancing wildly around it to the sinking sun. "Care for a dance?" She glared at his grinning face. She and Mike had never gotten along; he would annoy her until she nearly strangled him and it didn't help that Pan found their quarreling amusing.

"I'm fine. Maybe you should ask the bush; you'd have a better chance with that than with me." He narrowed his eyes and Lily saw Pan in the corner of her eye smirk, listening in to their conversation with his peaked hearing. He was playing the flute, surrounded by dancing boys that were howling to the music. She heard a few stray notes that managed to get through to her, but blocked out the rest. She wasn't completely lost yet but sometimes she lost her self-control and had to force herself not to join in. Lily always hated Pan's cunning smile as he watched her struggle, enjoying it immensely.

"Stop acting above everyone else here." Mike sneered, "We're all lost and unloved, the only difference is that we've accepted it. You, being the stubborn bitch you are, refuse to." Lily clenched her fists, shoving past him. She returned to her treehouse, emptying out the contents of her satchel onto the wooden desk she'd created a few years back. The flowers fell with a soft thump, some petals breaking off in the contact with the table. With her dagger, she sliced open the flower's stem, leaking out a thick black fluid that she dripped into her glass pot. _Perfect, this one's quite fresh._

Then, she brought out her secret stash of paper that was tucked in her hammock and laid it out on the desk along with a quill that had been given to her as a gift. Words started forming in her head, a day's worth of imagination coming to life. Lily grabbed the quill, dipped it in the flower sap, and started writing, smiling in contentment as she did: _Once upon a time, there lived a girl who was desperate to be normal: have normal parents that were happily married; have normal friends that didn't think she was weird._

Somehow, describing her life on paper made Lily feel better about it, like it wasn't really hers but just a simple fantasy. Writing made her feel calm, and even happy. And so she wrote for the rest of the evening, right up until the first glimpse of dawn.

* * *

 **Hey guys, sorry for not updating sooner - its been a busy week for me!**

 **Shout outs to: bug813, , Tardis. , SylpheKuro, We're All M-M-Mad Here, fruitlooper, Oraeclipse, CH1B1 PSYCH0 and Rainbow R for following/favouriting! Thank you to The girl who cried I'm Batman, Laurita, Talk With Your Hands, terrencelovesyou, Oraeclipse and Rainbow R for the reviews - your support makes writing this fanfic that more enjoyable!**

 **~ TheLostPangirl** (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧


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